Vegetable Meat Loaf Square

Ingredients:

1 slice bacon, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 1/2 cup French bread, cubed
1 pound lean ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (8 oz) package mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove bacon to a paper towel. Using the bacon drippings cook the tomato, carrot, celery and onion, covered for 6 minutes or until tender. Stir the bacon back into the skillet. Place the bread in a bowl. Place just enough water in the bowl with the bread to cover. Allow the bread to stand in the water 5 minutes. Drain the water and squeeze the excess water out of the bread cubes.
Place the bread back into the bowl. Add the ground beef, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper to the bread. Mix the ingredients together with you hands. Form a square loaf when the ingredients have been mixed together. Place the loaf in a square baking dish. Form a well in the middle of the loaf. Place the cooked vegetables into the well. Sprinkle in the mozzarella cheese. Form the loaf back over the top of the vegetables. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake 50 minutes. Remove and let the meat loaf stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Serves 4